Bengal minister promises action against doctors sho fled

Kolkata, Dec 12 (IANS) Strict action will be taken against the AMRI doctors if they are found guilty of having fled during last Friday’s fire tragedy leaving behind the patients to die, West Bengal Minister Javed Khan said Monday.

“If it comes out in the enquiry that the doctors had fled leaving behind the patients to die, then strict action will be taken against them,” Disaster Management Minister Javed Khan said.

The survivors of the deadly Dec 9 fire at AMRI Hospital - which killed 93 patients and staffers - had said that the doctors and most of the nursing assistants had fled after the fire broke out and smoke engulfed the hospital, leaving behind the patients.

“It’s a crime and it becomes a sin if a doctor flees leaving behind his patient to die. The person doesn’t deserve to be a doctor. It is the duty of the doctor to save a patient even at the cost of his own life,” said Nirmal Majhi, a doctor and co-chairman West Bengal assembly standing committee on health.

The Indian Medical Association (IMA), however, differed with the views of Majhi and was skeptical about claims that the doctors had fled. IMA officials felt that a doctor should always leave a disaster spot after all his patients had left.

“It is true that a doctor should always save his patient’s life, but nowhere in the medical ethics is it written that if a fire breaks out a doctor has to save the patient’s life. It is really hard to prove that the doctors have fled the spot,” said Malay Kumar Patra, president of the IMA’s West Bengal unit.

Patra, however, mentioned that in such situations doctors should always see that the patients are rescued.

“I feel that the doctors in such situations should always see that the patients are rescued and then only leave the spot,” he said.